1st August is celebrated as Sambalpuri Day

The birth aniversary of poet Satyanarayan Bohidar i.e August 1 has been decided to observe
“Sambalpuri Day” by the Paschimanchala Akata Manch .

The birth aniversary of poet Satyanarayan Bohidar i.e August 1 has been decided to observe “Sambalpuri Day” by the Paschimanchala Akata Manch .The day will be observed by organizing a mass cultural festival of dance and song on the street between Jail Chhak and Kacheri Chhak. Participants will be seen in colourful Sambalpuri attire. Not only that varieties of west Odisha popular food will be sold on the occasion. A typical Sambalpuri “pitha” competition will also be organised. One of the main attraction will be a fashion show.

Apart from various cultural programmes, citation of Sambalpuri poetry will be organised in which various cultural and literary organisations will take part, convener of Paschimanchala Akata Manch Bhawani Bhoi said. He said preparations were on to make the programme colourful and attractive.

Satyanarayan Bohidar was a teacher in the Chandrasekher Behera Zilla School. He had written many Sambalpuri popular poems. Actor Atal Bihari Panda will be honoured with “Satyanarayan Bohidar Memorial Award” by the organizers on this occasion. Socio-cultural troupes such as Lahari, Natraj, Adivasi Kala Kendra, Kala-O-Kalakar, Loka Nrutya Parishad shall will also be a part of the event. Singers Syam Sundar Dhar, Durga Das, Lipika Bohidar, Raj Kumar Jal, and Padmini Dora will enthral the audience with their performances with accompaniment of dhol, muhuri and nishan.

According to an article published in The Telegraph Kamal Panda, convener of Western Odisha Hirakhand Samukhaya said “Efforts are on to celebrate the day in various parts of Western Odisha,”. “Main aim of the function is to promote Sambalpuri culture, language and its tradition in the present modern day context.”